


Scrutiny

by lothalmoons



Series: Kalluzeb Valentines [5]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: M/M, Mind Games, Zeb is only mentioned he doesn’t actually make an appearance, kallus is spying as fulcrum, you can definitely read into kallus’ and thrawn’s relationship a little bit here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 16:06:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18626611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lothalmoons/pseuds/lothalmoons
Summary: After a minor Rebel victory concerning Zeb, Thrawn calls Kallus into his office to discuss the issue that is their Rebel spy.





	Scrutiny

“Fulcrum out.”

Kallus ended the transmission and took a few deep breaths. Normally after transmissions, he was not so unraveled; he felt nauseous, overwrought. He gripped the cool metal counter with both of his hands to calm his whirling brain and racing heart. It took a few, long moments before he could collect himself enough to stand and even longer before he was able to leave the safety, however fake it was, of his quarters. He took one last glance at himself in the mirror, making sure he had successfully hidden every emotion he was experiencing below the surface of his icy skin.

The quick beeping that came from his comm just as he stepped out into the hallway was not nearly enough to dissolve his facade, but he would be lying if he said the sound did not heighten his hidden anxiety.

“Agent Kallus, I request your presence in my office immediately,” the voice from the comm said.

_Thrawn_. Without missing a beat, Kallus replied, “Affirmative, Grand Admiral.”

Thrawn’s office was secluded, far from any other officer’s. It was large, dark, and almost as ominous as the man himself. The air that hit him chilled him to the bone as the door was opened, and he saw the Grand Admiral waiting for him, standing over his desk. Kallus wondered if Thrawn had been staring at the door the entire time waiting for him to enter because the moment he stepped into his office, those red eyes locked onto him like a predator catching sight of its prey.

Thrawn didn’t bother with an introduction - most formalities seemed meaningless to him and he delved into the issue at hand. “As I am sure you are aware by now, Agent Kallus, the rebel Lasat, Garazeb Orrelios was able to escape Imperial custody with the help of Phoenix Squadron, most notably the _Ghost_ crew,” Thrawn said, voice purposefully monotone.

“I am aware,” he replied. His voice held the slightest inflection of disgust, which he was certain the Grand Admiral picked up on. He hoped he had been successful in masking his pain for Zeb, imagining him in the hands of the Empire, as contempt for the incompetence of his holders. Caution sirens wailed in his head, keeping him from saying anything else. Thrawn’s method of entangling his victims was to let them incriminate themselves, say a little too much, go a little too far, and he refused to allow himself to be snared in the Admiral’s trap.

“What you do not know,” Thrawn continued, “Is that our Rebel Spy had a part to play in this as well.”

Kallus’ eyes widened, and he tried to suppress the fear constricting him. “Rebel Spy?” he echoed, “I thought Lyste was the spy.”

Thrawn remained impassive except for what Kallus believed to be the ghost of a smile. When he blinked, though, it was gone. “I had reason to suspect Lyste was in fact not the Rebel Spy, and my suspicions have been confirmed. You see, the Rebels were only able to infiltrate the Lothal prison with codes given to them from the inside. Our spy is still very much at work.”

Kallus knew he had made a very incriminating mistake even before it had been brought to light, The Rebels seemed to be doing their final prepping for their siege of Lothal, and Zeb must have been caught during one of their recon missions. He had pitifully, fakely hoped that the Rebels using those codes to get Zeb out would have been overlooked. He knew better, though - Thrawn never missed even the most minute, insignificant detail, so how would he have missed something as incongruous as that? The worst, most humiliating part of the whole situation was that the Rebels still would have been able to rescue Zeb even without the codes - it just would have taken much longer.

“I don’t understand,” Kallus said slowly, testing the waters. He waited for a flash of interest in Thrawn’s eyes before he continued, “Why would this spy knowingly leave such jarring evidence of his involvement? He’s not stupid.”

“Because, Agent Kallus, our spy has but one weakness: his attachment to others. He cannot bear the thought of those he cares for suffering. Maybe it is because he believes he is in a position where he can help them.” This time, Kallus knew for a fact that the smile lacing Thrawn’s lips wasn’t a shadow. “Maybe it is because of his _guilt_.”

Icy claws wrapped around Kallus, freezing him to his spot, unable to even look away. Thrawn was right,so painfully, awfully _right_. Kallus hadn’t known how much longer it would have taken the Rebels to devise a plan to rescue Zeb without the codes, and he wouldn’t - couldn’t - take any chances - not with Zeb’s life at stake. He would rather be found a traitor and executed on the spot than have Zeb suffer. Kallus now knew what they did to Lasat in Imperial prisons, and he didn’t want to find out what that meant coupled with Zeb being a known Rebel. Knowing that Zeb was in certain pain, and he had the power to stop it, led Kallus to not think twice at backing himself further into the corner of defeat, at making yet another wrong move in a game that would only end when he lost. Under no circumstances would he abet the Empire in inflicting more harm on the one he most loved, however wrong and agonizingly isolating that love was. 

“I must say, I find it peculiar how central the members of the _Ghost_ Crew are in our problems yet again, specifically that Lasat, Garazeb Orrelios. It is not coincidental how many, too many, actions of our spy seem to have motivation from him.”

“It seems as if the Lasat is the key to finding the identity of this spy,” Kallus said. He felt defeated, so vulnerable and stripped any defense, he could only say what he knew the Grand Admiral had already long figured out. He could only hope he could stay just far enough ahead of Thrawn that he could keep up his front for a little longer. He owed it to Zeb.

Thrawn’s icy gaze pierced through Kallus’ soul. Kallus felt unwillingly open to the careful scrutiny of the Grand Admiral, like one of his many pieces of art so fully picked apart, powerless over the gaze sweeping over him. He stayed rooted in place, knowing he couldn’t flee, staring into the freezing red eyes across the table.

“I want you to keep closer tabs on these Rebels than I am sure you are already doing,” Thrawn said, saying nothing, yet implicating everything. “We know now that our spy makes errors, and we have to be ready to catch them.”

“I will, Grand Admiral,” able to get out the ingrained formality despite the turning of his stomach and whirling of his mind. Judging it safe enough to exit, and knowing he could not stay in Thrawn’s presence for any longer, he made his way to the door at a normal pace, though he felt as if his legs were bolted to the ground.

“Rest assured, Agent Kallus,” Thrawn called to him as his hand just touched the keypad, “We are close; our spy cannot evade us for long.”

Kallus’ knuckles grew white as he clutched the top of the metal keypad, feeling that if he let go, he would fall. The door slid open, and though the air inside Thrawn’s office had felt chilly when he had first stepped in, the air that hit Kallus’ face then felt like ice.

Kallus was able to make it back to his quarters, though every step of the way, he imagined those red eyes searing into his back, watching his every step, following his every breath. He didn’t know how much longer he could live like this, 

He collapsed onto the floor the second his door slid shut, his legs failing with the rest of his body. The coldness of the metal seeped into his bones. He dragged himself to his bed and was able to climb up onto it. He reached for the meteorite just above his head, still faintly glowing, still warm. 

Trembling, he held the rock up to his chest, allowing its heat to emanate through him. He hugged the stone, his thoughts drifting back to Zeb, now with his family. Kallus knew he had risked so much, but he would do it again in a heartbeat, risk everything and not even want recognition in return, as long as Zeb was safe. He knew Thrawn would eventually find him out and didn’t want to think about what would happen then. As long as he was able to help the Rebellion and, most importantly, ensure Zeb’s safety, he would be satisfied; he loved Zeb too much to allow anything less. Even if it killed him, even if the last thing he would ever see was that emotionless crimson gaze, he wouldn’t stop until Zeb was safe. It was the least he could do after so many years of working to destroy the one he loved. The freezing grip of imminence and anxiety held him tight, only thawed by the warmth from the meteorite. He had never welcomed heat so much.

**Author's Note:**

> Out of this whole series, this is probably the fic I’m most proud of (apart from the one yet to be posted). Sorry there wasn’t much kalluzeb - it was mostly Kallus’ and Thrawn’s dynamic.


End file.
